More on Wind Shear

Source: ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu

The main idea in the image at left is that the higher the wind shear, the less likely a Hurricane will develop. With an increase in wind shear, thunderstorms of a tropical disturbance will not be able to strengthen. This is caused by unequal horizontal movement of the storm. The top half of a thunderstorm may become displaced from the bottom half and any latent heat that was released is now spread out over a larger area. With the supply of latent heat essentially cut off, convection in the thunderstorm stops and the storm will never reach Hurricane strengthen.